William Flank Perry was born in Jackson County, Georgia, on March 12, 1823. His family move to Chambers County, Alabama, in 1833, and Perry was unable to obtain much formal education. Despite this, he taught in country schools in Talladega County from 1848 to 1853, while studying law. Perry was admitted to the bar in 1854, but never established a practice. He worked to improve the state's educational facilities, and was twice elected state superintendent of education, playing a major role in laying the basis for the free public school system in Alabama. In 1858, Perry resigned and became president of East Alabama Female College at Tuskegee. A year after the Civil War began, Perry enlisted as a private, and quickly rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant after the Second Battle of Bull Run and a colonel after Antietam. Leading the 44th Alabama Infantry in the attack on Little Round Top, he was cited for gallantry at Chickamauga. Perry took part in the Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor; and was promoted to brigadier general as of February 21, 1865. Leading his troops until the they were paroled at Appomattox, he left the military when the Civil War ended. Perry went on to farm in Alabama for two years, then went back to working as an educator, holding the position of professor of English and philosophy at Ogden College, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Perry died there, on December 18, 1901.